Hypoglycin A (HGA) was detected in blood and urine of a horse suffering from atypical myopathy (AM; Day 2, serum, 8290 μg/l; urine: Day 1, 574, Day 2, 742 μg/l) and in its cograzing partners with a high variability (46–1570 μg/l serum). Over the period of disease, the level of the toxic metabolites (methylencyclopropylacetic acid [MCPA]-conjugates) increased in body fluids of the AM horse (MCPA-carnitine: Day 2, 0.246, Day 3, 0.581 μmol/l serum; MCPA-carnitine: Day 2, 0.621, Day 3, 0.884 μmol/mmol creatinine in urine) and HGA decreased rapidly (Day 3, 2430 μg/l serum). In cograzing horses MCPA-conjugates were not detected. HGA in seeds ranged from 268 to 367 μg/g. Although HGA was present in body fluids of healthy cograzing horses, MCPA-conjugates were not detectable, in contrast to the AM horse. Therefore, increasing concentrations of MCPA-conjugates are supposed to be linked with the onset of AM and both parameters seem to indicate the clinical stage of disease. However, detection of HGA in body fluids of cograzing horses might be a promising step in preventing the disease.

A somatic embryogenesis receptor kinase like
(SERKL) cDNA, designated PhSERKL, was isolated from date palm (Phoenix
Dactylifera L) using RACE PCR. PhSERKL protein shared all the
characteristic domains of the SERK family, including five leucine-rich
repeats, one proline-rich region motif, a transmembrane domain, and
kinase domains. Phylogenetic analyses using PHYLIP and Notung 2.7
programs suggest that the SERK proteins of some plant species resulted
from relatively ancient duplication events. We predict an ancestor
protein of monocots and dicots SERK using FASTML program. Somatic
embryogenic cultures of date palm were established following transfer of
callus cultures to medium containing 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid.
The role of PhSERKL gene during establishment of somatic embryogenesis
in culture was investigated using quantitative real-time PCR. PhSERKL
gene was highly expressed during embryogenic competence acquisition and
globular embryo formation in culture. Overall, levels of expression of
PhSERKL gene were lower in nonembryogenic tissues and organs than in
embryogenic callus.